Narrative of Services in the Liberation of Chili, Peru and Brazil Volume I Part 6

"Lord Cochrane, having previously reconnoitred these formidable defences in person, undertook, on the 5th of November, 1820, the desperate enterprise of cutting out the Spanish frigate, although she was known to be fully prepared for an attack. His Lordship proceeded in fourteen boats, containing 240 men--all volunteers from the different ships of the squadron--in two divisions, one under the orders of Captain Crosby, and the other under Captain Guise, both officers commanding the Chileno squadron."

"At midnight, the boats having forced their way across the boom, Lord Cochrane, who was leading, rowed alongside the first gun-boat, and taking the officer by surprise, proposed to him, with a pistol at his head, the alternative of silence or death. No reply being made, the boats pushed on un.o.bserved, and Lord Cochrane, mounting the _Esmeralda's_ side, was the first to give the alarm. The sentinel on the gangway levelled his piece and fired, but was instantly cut down by the c.o.xwain, and his Lordship, though wounded in the thigh, at the same moment stepped on the deck, the frigate being boarded with no less gallantry on the opposite side by Captain Guise, who met Lord Cochrane midway on the quarter-deck, as also Captain Crosby, and the afterpart of the ship was soon carried, sword in hand. The Spaniards rallied on the forecastle, where they made a desperate resistance, till overpowered by a fresh party of seamen and marines, headed by Lord Cochrane. A gallant stand was again made on the main deck, but before one o'clock the ship was captured, her cables cut, and she was steered triumphantly out of the harbour."

"This loss was a death-blow to the Spanish naval force in that quarter of the world; for, although there were still two Spanish frigates and some smaller vessels in the Pacific, they never afterwards ventured to shew themselves, but left Lord Cochrane undisputed master of the coast."

On the morning of the 6th a horrible ma.s.sacre was committed on sh.o.r.e.

The market-boat of the United States frigate was, as usual, sent for provisions, when the mob took it into their heads that the _Esmeralda_ could not have been cut out without the a.s.sistance of the _Macedonian_, and, falling upon the boat's crew, murdered the whole of them.

The wounded amongst the _Esmeralda's_ crew were sent on sh.o.r.e under a flag of truce, a letter from me to the Viceroy proposing an exchange of prisoners being at the same time transmitted. The proposal was this time civilly acceded to, and the whole were sent on sh.o.r.e; the Chilian prisoners, who had long languished in the dungeons of the fortress, being returned, and ordered to join the army of General San Martin.

On transmitting the intelligence of our success to General San Martin, I received from him the following acknowledgment of the achievement:--

_10th November, 1820._ "My Lord,"

"The importance of the service you have rendered to the country by the capture of the frigate _Esmeralda_, and the brilliant manner in which you conducted the gallant officers and seamen under your orders to accomplish that n.o.ble enterprise, on the night of the memorable 5th of November, have augmented the grat.i.tude due to your former services by the Government, as well as that of all interested in the public cause, and in your fame."

"All those who partic.i.p.ated in the risks and glory of the deed, also deserve well of their countrymen, and I have the satisfaction to be the medium of transmitting the sentiments of admiration which such transcendent success has excited in the chiefs of the army under my command. Permit me to express them to you, in order that they may be communicated to the meritorious officers, seamen, and marines of the squadron, to whom will be religiously fulfilled _the promises you made_."

"It is grievous that, connected with the memory of so glorious a deed, regret for those who shed their blood in its achievement should enter; but let us hope that such thoughts will be dissipated, by your adding further deeds of glory to the country, and to your name."

"G.o.d preserve you many years."

"JOSE DE SAN MARTIN."

San Martin's expression of religiously fulfilling the "promises I made," is in allusion to the promise, signed by himself, which had been exacted previous to the departure of the squadron from Valparaiso, that the men should have a year's pay given to them. With the preceding letter General San Martin voluntarily sent another promise to the captors, of 50,000 dollars, to be paid on gaining possession of Lima.

Neither the one promise nor the other were ever fulfilled, nor did they ever obtain any prize-money.

To the Administration in Chili General San Martin wrote as follows:--

"Head Quarters, Supe, Dec. 1, 1820.

Senor Minister,"

"I have the honour of forwarding to you the despatches of the Right Hon. Lord Cochrane, Vice-Admiral of the squadron, relative to the heroic capture of the frigate _Esmeralda_, by boarding her under the batteries of Callao."

"It is impossible for me to eulogise in proper language the daring enterprise of the 5th of November, by which Lord Cochrane has decided the superiority of our naval forces--augmented the splendour and power of Chili--and secured the success of this campaign."

"I doubt not that His Excellency the Supreme Director will render the justice due to the worthy chief, his officers, and other individuals who have had a share in that successful action."

"I beg you will honour me by congratulating His Excellency on this important success, and princ.i.p.ally on account of the influence it will have on the great object which occupies his attention."

"JOSE DE SAN MARTIN."

"To Don Jose Ignacio Zenteno, Minister of Marine."

Soon after my departure for Peru, Lady Cochrane undertook a journey across the _Cordillera_, to Mendoza, the pa.s.ses being, at that season, often blocked up with snow. Having been entrusted with some despatches of importance, she pushed on rapidly, and on the 12th of October arrived at the celebrated _Ponte del Inca_, 15,000 feet above the level of the sea. Here the snow had increased to such an extent as to render farther progress impossible, and her ladyship was obliged to remain at a _Casucha_, or strong house, built above the snow for the safety of travellers; the intense cold arising from the rarity of the atmosphere, and the absence of all comfort--there being no better couch than a dried bullock's hide--producing a degree of suffering which few ladies would be willing to encounter.

Whilst proceeding on her mule up a precipitous path in the vicinity, a Royalist, who had intruded himself on the party, rode up in an opposite direction and disputed the path with her, at a place where the slightest false step would have precipitated her into the abyss below. One of her attendants, a tried and devoted soldier, named Pedro Flores, seeing the movement, and guessing the man's intention, galloped up to him at a critical moment, striking him a violent blow across the face, and thus arresting his murderous design. The ruffian finding himself vigorously attacked, made off, without resenting the blow, and so, no doubt, another premeditated attempt on Lady Cochrane's life was averted.

CHAPTER V.

SAN MARTIN'S VIOLATION OF TRUTH--REMOVAL OF BLOCKADE--SPANISH DEPRESSION--TROOPS DYING OF FEVER--SAN MARTIN'S DESIGNS ON GUAYAQUIL--MUTINOUS CONDUCT OF OFFICERS--REFUSAL TO OBEY ORDERS--DEPOSITION OF VICEROY--SAN MARTIN GIVES ME TROOPS--JEALOUSY OF SAN MARTIN--ATTACK ON ARICA--CAPTURE OF TACNA--CAPTURE OF MOQUEGA--REFUSAL OF MORE MEN--AN ARMISTICE RATIFIED--DISTRESS OF LIMA--DISSATISFACTION OF THE ARMY--LADY COCHRANE--GOES INTO THE INTERIOR--DANGEROUS POSITION--LADY COCHRANE IN ACTION--DEVOTION OF SEAMEN.

On the 8th of November I went to Ancon with our prize, this being hailed with great enthusiasm by the army, which--now that the Spanish naval force had received, what even the Spaniards themselves considered its death blow--made certain that it would be at once led against Lima, before the authorities recovered from their consternation. To their mortification--no less than my own--General San Martin, in defiance of all argument to the contrary, ordered the troops on board the transports, having decided on _retreating to Huacho!_ whither the _O'Higgins_ and _Esmeralda_, abandoning the blockade, had to convoy them. In place of prompt action--or rather demonstration, for the occupation of the city would have amounted to little more--he issued a proclamation, promising, as before, the most perfect freedom to the Peruvian people if they would join him:--

"Spaniards, your destiny is in your own hands. I come not to declare war against the fortunes and persons of individuals. The enemy of the liberty and independence of America alone is the object of the vengeance of the arms of the PATRIA. I promise you in the most positive manner, that your property and persons shall be inviolable, and that you shall be treated as respectable citizens, if you co-operate in the great cause," &c. &c.

By the 12th the army was again disembarked, amidst evident manifestations of dissatisfaction on the part of the officers, who were naturally jealous of the achievements of the squadron, from being themselves restrained from enterprise of any kind. To allay this feeling General San Martin had recourse to an almost incredible violation of truth, intended to impress upon the Chilian people, that the army, and not the squadron, had captured the _Esmeralda!_--indeed stating as much in words, and declaring that the whole affair was the result of his own plans, to which I had agreed! though the truth is, that doubting his confidants, I had concealed from him my intentions of making the attack.

The following is an extract from the bulletin issued to the army:--

"Before the General-in-Chief left the Vice-Admiral of the Squadron, _they agreed on the execution of a memorable project, sufficient to astound intrepidity itself!_ and to make the history of the liberating expedition of Peru eternal!"

"Those valiant soldiers who for a length of time have suffered with the most heroic constancy the severest oppression, and the most inhuman treatment in the dungeons of Casas-matas, have just arrived at our head-quarters. Flattering promises of liberty, and the threats of death, were not sufficient to destroy their loyalty to their country; they have waited with firmness the day on which their companions in arms should rescue them from their misery, and revenge the insults which, humanity has received in their persons.

This glory was reserved _to the liberating army, whose efforts have s.n.a.t.c.hed from the hands of tyranny these respectable victims._ Let this be published for the satisfaction of these individuals, _and that of the army, to whose arms they owe their liberty_."

It thus went forth to the people of Chili, that the army captured the frigate, and subsequently released the prisoners, though not a man in the whole force had the most distant idea that an attack was even contemplated, much less could it have co-operated, seeing that it was far away in cantonments! This bulletin excited the astonishment of the troops; but as it contributed to their _amour propre_, by representing to the Chilian people that the achievement which had been effected was due to them, they accepted it; whilst I thought it beneath me to refute a falsehood palpable to the whole expedition. It had, however, as General San Martin no doubt calculated, the effect of allaying, for the moment, a dissatisfaction which foreboded serious consequences.

On the 15th we again sailed from Huacho, to renew the blockade at Callao, beyond which nothing could be done; though even this was of importance, as cutting off supplies from the capital, the inhabitants of which, in consequence of the privations they were subjected to, caused great uneasiness to the Viceregal Government.

Several attempts were now made to entice the remaining Spanish naval force from their shelter under the batteries, by placing the _Esmeralda_ apparently within reach, and the flag-ship herself in situations of some danger. One day I carried her through an intricate strait called the Boqueron, in which nothing beyond a fifty-ton schooner was ever seen.

The Spaniards, expecting every moment to see the ship strike, manned their gun-boats, ready to attack as soon as she was aground, of which there was little danger, for we had found, and buoyed off with small bits of wood invisible to the enemy, a channel through which a vessel could pa.s.s without much difficulty.

On the 2nd of December the _Esmeralda_, being in a more than usually tempting position, the Spanish gun-boats ventured out in the hope of recapturing her, and for an hour maintained a smart fire; but on seeing the _O'Higgins_ manoeuvring to cut them off, they precipitately retreated.

The preceeding successes caused great depression amongst the Spanish troops, and on the following day the battalion of Numantia, numbering 650 disciplined men, deserted in a body, and joined the Chilian forces at Chancay. On the 8th, forty Spanish officers followed their example; and every day afterwards, officers, privates, and civilians of respectability, joined the patriot army, which thus became considerably reinforced; the defection of so large a portion of his troops being a severe loss to the Viceroy.

On the 6th, Colonel Arenales, who, after his previous success, had marched into the interior, defeated a division of the royalist army at Pasco. On his proceeding to Huamanga, the authorities fled, and the inhabitants declared themselves independent. Tarma was next abandoned, and followed the same example, as did Huanuco, Cuenca, and Loxa; whilst, on the news of the capture of the _Esmeralda_ arriving at Truxillo, that important province also revolted, under the direction of the Spanish governor, the Marquis of Torre Tagle.

Notwithstanding this succession of favourable events, General San Martin still declined to march on Lima, remaining inactive at Haura, though the unhealthy situation of the place was such, that nearly one-third of his troops died of intermittent fever, during the many months they remained there. In place of securing the capital, where the army would have now been welcomed, he proposed to send half the army to Guayaquil, in order to annex that province, this being the first manifestation on the part of General San Martin to found a dominion of his own--for to nothing less did he afterwards aspire, though the declared object of the expedition was to enable the South Pacific provinces to emanc.i.p.ate themselves from Spain, leaving them free to choose their own governments, as had been repeatedly and solemnly declared, both by the Chilian Government and himself.

Finding that I would not consent to avert the naval force from the purposes to which it was destined, the project was abandoned; but the troops which had advanced to Chancay were ordered to fall back on Haura, this step being actually a further retreat as regarded the position of the Spanish forces, which thus managed to check further desertion by apprehending and shooting all who attempted it.

Still General San Martin was determined, if possible, to accomplish his views on Guayaquil. Two deputies, Tomas Guido and Colonel Luzuriago, were despatched with complimentary messages to Torre Tagle and others, warning them against the designs of Bolivar, whose success in the north led San Martin to fear that he might have designs on Peru. The deputies were strictly enjoined to represent that if such were Bolivar's intention, Guayaquil would only be regarded as a conquered province; whilst, if the people of that place would adhere to him, he would, on the fall of Lima, make it the _princ.i.p.al port of a great empire_, and that the establishment of the docks and a.r.s.enals which _his navy_ would require, would enrich the city beyond measure. They were at the same time exhorted to form a militia, in order to keep out Bolivar.

By way of conciliating me, General San Martin proposed in a flattering way to call the captured frigate the "_Cochrane_," as two vessels before had been named the "_San Martin_," and "_O'Higgins_;" but to this I demurred, as acquiescence in such a proceeding might in the estimation of others have identified me with any course the general might be inclined to pursue, and I had already formed my conjectures as to what were evidently his future purposes. Finding me firm in declining the proffered honour, he told me to give her what name I thought proper; but this was also refused, when he said, "Let her be called the '_Valdivia_,' in memory of your conquest of that place;" her name was accordingly changed from the _Esmeralda_ to the _Valdivia_.

The command of the frigate had been given to Captain Guise; and after her change of name, his officers wrote to him a letter deprecating the name, and alleging, that as they had nothing to do with the conquest of Valdivia, it ought to be withdrawn, and one more consonant with their feelings subst.i.tuted. This letter was followed by marked personal disrespect towards myself, from the officers who had signed it, who made it no secret that the name of Guise was the one sought to be subst.i.tuted.

As the conversations held by these officers with the rest of the squadron were of such a derogatory nature as regarded my character and authority, as might lead to serious disorganization, I brought the whole of the officers who had signed the letter to a court-martial, two being dismissed the service, the remainder being dismissed the ship, with a recommendation to General San Martin for other appointments.